LABOUR DIVIDED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20491, 17 February 1930, Page 9

LABOUR DIVIDED.

SECRET CONFERENCE HELD.

QUARREL OVER COALMINERS.

FEDERAL MINISTERS ATTACKED.

GOVERNMENT STANDS' FIRM.

By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received February 16. 5.45 p.m.) SYDNEY. Feb. 15. Labour members of the Federal and Now South Wales Parliaments sat late last night in secret conference with the executive of the Australian Labour Party. It is understood that the proceedings were marked by extreme bitterness. Ministers insisted that the meetingplace should be removed from tho Trades Hall to the Commonwealth offices. Even the Labour Daily's representative was excluded.

Each member of the Federal Labour Party received a typed copy of the resolutions passed by the Labour Conference calling upon the Government to seize certain mines, disband and disarm the police on the coalfields, prosecute the coalmine owners and the members of the New South Wales Cabinet and give basic wage relief to all miners affected by the stoppage. The members were also informed of another resolution requiring the executive to compel them to carry out the* spirit and letter of the other resolutions. War was declared' when the Federal members asked the executive to "indicate how the demands were to be carried out.

Mr. Rowland James, member for Hunter, a coalfields electorate, repeated the attack he had made on the Prime Minister, Mr. J. H. Scullin, and the Treasurer. Mr. E. G. Theodore, in the House of Representatives, He challenged his colleagues to rrypve in the caucus for his expulsion.

Mr. James asserted that the 'Prime Minister and Treasurer had discouraged the miners from creating an inter-State strike, and "let them down" by appointing Mr. Hibble instead of Mr. Willis to sit on the tribunal, Mr. Willis would have had his responsibilities to the movement, Mr. Hibble had none.

Mr. Theodore, on behalf of the Federal Government to-day replied to the criticism and resolutions' of the Labour Conference. He said the Government would submit to no outside dictation, but would act upon its own judgment and responsibility. " The Government has no power arbitrarily to take over the mines," said Mr. Theodore. "Nor have we any warrant for sending Commonwealth troops to the coalfields. Already we have done everything which our extremely limited powers will permit us to do in an endeavour to bring about a settlement of the coal dispute. We are still in close contact with the union concerned in the hope of finding a solution.

RICHMOND COLLIERY.

PROPOSAL TO REOPEN.;

OWNER MAY WANT SUBSIDY.

SYDNEY, Feb. 15

Rumours are current in Newcastle that if Mr. John Brown reopens the Richmond Main Colliery he will ask for a subsidy of 2s a ton.